Ramirez’ homer lifts Pirates over Indians
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) – Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run homer, Brian Giles added a solo shot and Josh Fogg pitched four scoreless innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat a Cleveland Indians split squad 5-2 Sunday. With the game tied at 2 in the sixth inning, Ramirez’s homer off Brian Tallet put the Pirates ahead for good as they snapped a four-game losing streak.
Ramirez has four home runs in his first 27 at-bats this spring. Hobbled by a severely sprained ankle last season, he hit only .234 with 18 homers and 71 RBIs – down from .300 with 34 homers and 112 RBIs in 2001.
“It’s been obvious since the first day of spring training that Aramis is on a mission to wipe out what happened last year,” Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. “He’s in great shape and swinging the bat extremely well.”
Fogg allowed two hits with no walks and three strikeouts in his third start. He has pitched seven scoreless innings since giving up three home runs in two innings in his first appearance against Boston on March 1.
Rookie Billy Traber, trying to win one of two available spots in the Indians’ rotation, held the Pirates hitless until Giles’ solo homer in the fourth. He allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in four innings.
Tallet, also fighting for a starting job, allowed three runs on five hits in three innings of relief.
Trailing 2-0 after Jack Wilson’s solo homer in the fifth, Cleveland tied it on Victor Martinez’s two-run drive off reliever Nelson Figueroa.
Ariel Prieto pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save with Pittsburgh.